ten-year-old on the school field didn’t keep my comments from coming out. “What figure?” I tilted my head for a couple of seconds and snapped my fingers. “Oh. Like a straight line, right? Yeah, I guess that could be considered a figure.” Oh, that was smooth. I needed to keep my mouth shut.
I was waiting for one of Faith’s snappy comebacks or even just her quick ‘bite me’ again, but nothing was forthcoming. As a matter of fact, when I looked at her, her beautiful baby blues were more than a bit damp, and threatening to spill over. Instead of saying anything to her sister or me for my own stupid remarks, she downed the rest of her drink and walked quickly out into the lobby.
“You and your sisters are such bitches. If you can’t find anything nice to say about Faith, why don’t you just stay the hell away from her or simply shut the fuck up?” What the hell was I doing? This was not what I was paid for. I was a peacekeeper. I made everything pleasant in social atmospheres. But being witness to their nasty comments threw me off my game.
I turned around and ran after Faith. The lobby was modestly crowded with people either waiting to get into the lobby bar or the sit down restaurant. A large potted palm sat in a corner planter near the elevators. Faith was standing next to it fighting for calm. I could see it in the way her chest heaved in and out as she took deep breaths. I could see it in the way she was opening and closing her hands, digging her nails into her palms. And I could see it in the angry way she swiped the one errant tear that had escaped—to her displeasure.
I reached her side and grabbed her hands. “Hey.” Brilliant, huh? I had no idea what to say to her. Should I just tell her they’re all a bunch of assholes? I think you’re the only one who can talk bad about your own family though, right? But they were. Serious assholes.
“You can go now, Joe. Just give me the room key, okay?”
“No. Not okay. You can’t just let them make you feel like this. And besides that, they’re wrong! Don’t you see that?” She stood there, not looking at me, shaking her head. I lifted her chin up and made her look at me. “Tell me the truth. Do you think Dana’s pretty?”
“She tries to be, but I think she looks like she’s under nourished. Of course, I’ve never said that to her. I don’t want to be like them.”
“Well, good. I’m glad you see that.” I tried to rub her back, but she stepped away from me.
“Look, Joe. Thanks for the date. You did a great job, but I’m just going to go up to the room, have a couple more drinks that I’ll undoubtedly regret in the morning , and go to sleep. So can I have the key please?”
“No. I’ll see you upstairs , and then I’ll go if that’s what you really want. But I’d like to stay. God, come on, Faith. Do you know how they’re going to talk if I’m not here in the morning?” My insides all clenched up in anger just thinking about it. Her sisters would be vicious.
“It’s not your problem.” She finally looked up at me, because she was getting pissed. That was fine with me. Pissed was better than sad. “Jesus, you really are hot. I’ll bet just looking into your eyes makes women drop their clothes.”
I had no idea what to say to that. Normally , I gave a thank you or spouted out some smart ass comment. But I was flattered when Faith said those things. I wanted her to think I was hot. I wanted her to like to look into my eyes.
“No more talking about other women. I’m here with you, not another woman. Now, stop being stubborn and let me stay the night. We can get drunk together if that’s what you want, and I’ll sleep on the couch. Scout’s honor.” Yeah… I never was a scout.
“Fine.” She pushed the elevator button and the door opened with a soft ding. I grabbed her elbow when she stumbled slightly on her heels. “What floor are we?”
I opened the jacket that held the key card. “706.” She hit the
I was waiting for one of Faith’s snappy comebacks or even just her quick ‘bite me’ again, but nothing was forthcoming. As a matter of fact, when I looked at her, her beautiful baby blues were more than a bit damp, and threatening to spill over. Instead of saying anything to her sister or me for my own stupid remarks, she downed the rest of her drink and walked quickly out into the lobby.
“You and your sisters are such bitches. If you can’t find anything nice to say about Faith, why don’t you just stay the hell away from her or simply shut the fuck up?” What the hell was I doing? This was not what I was paid for. I was a peacekeeper. I made everything pleasant in social atmospheres. But being witness to their nasty comments threw me off my game.
I turned around and ran after Faith. The lobby was modestly crowded with people either waiting to get into the lobby bar or the sit down restaurant. A large potted palm sat in a corner planter near the elevators. Faith was standing next to it fighting for calm. I could see it in the way her chest heaved in and out as she took deep breaths. I could see it in the way she was opening and closing her hands, digging her nails into her palms. And I could see it in the angry way she swiped the one errant tear that had escaped—to her displeasure.
I reached her side and grabbed her hands. “Hey.” Brilliant, huh? I had no idea what to say to her. Should I just tell her they’re all a bunch of assholes? I think you’re the only one who can talk bad about your own family though, right? But they were. Serious assholes.
“You can go now, Joe. Just give me the room key, okay?”
“No. Not okay. You can’t just let them make you feel like this. And besides that, they’re wrong! Don’t you see that?” She stood there, not looking at me, shaking her head. I lifted her chin up and made her look at me. “Tell me the truth. Do you think Dana’s pretty?”
“She tries to be, but I think she looks like she’s under nourished. Of course, I’ve never said that to her. I don’t want to be like them.”
“Well, good. I’m glad you see that.” I tried to rub her back, but she stepped away from me.
“Look, Joe. Thanks for the date. You did a great job, but I’m just going to go up to the room, have a couple more drinks that I’ll undoubtedly regret in the morning , and go to sleep. So can I have the key please?”
“No. I’ll see you upstairs , and then I’ll go if that’s what you really want. But I’d like to stay. God, come on, Faith. Do you know how they’re going to talk if I’m not here in the morning?” My insides all clenched up in anger just thinking about it. Her sisters would be vicious.
“It’s not your problem.” She finally looked up at me, because she was getting pissed. That was fine with me. Pissed was better than sad. “Jesus, you really are hot. I’ll bet just looking into your eyes makes women drop their clothes.”
I had no idea what to say to that. Normally , I gave a thank you or spouted out some smart ass comment. But I was flattered when Faith said those things. I wanted her to think I was hot. I wanted her to like to look into my eyes.
“No more talking about other women. I’m here with you, not another woman. Now, stop being stubborn and let me stay the night. We can get drunk together if that’s what you want, and I’ll sleep on the couch. Scout’s honor.” Yeah… I never was a scout.
“Fine.” She pushed the elevator button and the door opened with a soft ding. I grabbed her elbow when she stumbled slightly on her heels. “What floor are we?”
I opened the jacket that held the key card. “706.” She hit the
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